MOF rescues three Indonesians onboard tug boat

SEMPORNA, Sept 11 -- Three crew members on board a tug boat which drifted into waters off Pulau Sipadan near here after its engine malfunctioned were rescued by the Marine Operations Force today.

Commander of Sabah Region 4 Marine Operations Force ACP Mohamad Pajeri Ali said all the victims are from Tarakan, Indonesia and they were heading to Sungai Nyamuk from Muara Nunukan in Indonesia, when the boat’s injection pump malfunctioned, causing it to drift towards Pulau Sipadan waters.

The Marine Operations Force mounted a search after receiving information at 7.30 am from the Sabah Parks and the Malaysian Armed Forces on the presence of the tug boat, which was reported to be in a suspicious manner, he said in a statement here today.

He said the matter had been reported to the Indonesia’s Consulate Office in Tawau.